Foot-shield for floors.



` Patented ont. I7, |899. w. r. PUTNAM. l

FOOT SHIELD FUR FLOORS.

(Application led Jan. 7, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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WILLIAM F. PUTNAM, OF OLEvELAND, OHIO.

FOOT-SHIELD FOR FLOORS'.

srnoIFrc'A'rroN forming part of Letters Patent No. 634,956, dated october 17, 189e. Application filed January 7, 1899. Serial No. '701,507- (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t 'mag/concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM F. PUTNAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Foot-Shields for Floors, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention is peculiarly useful for street-cars and omnibuses, where it serves to protect the feet of the passengers who are sitting and may also serve to increase the available iioorspace upon which other passengers may stand orwalk. It is, however, useful in many other places-eas, for example, in auditoriums, where people are obliged to pass in front of but close to other people who are sitting, and in hacks, carriages, dac.

The invention consists of a covered footshield secured to the floor close to a seat or seats and open on that side which faces said seat or seats.

It also consistsin a foot-shield substantially as described, wherein the top of said shield is an extension of the iioor in front of said shield.

It also consists in the more specific combinations of parts hereinafter described, and

pointed out definitely in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of the interior of'a street-car equipped with my invention. sectional View of the floor of said car.

A A represent the seats of a street-car,w11ich extend longitudinally on both sides of the car. The distance across the aisle between said seats is commonly about four feet, and the seats are commonly about eighteen inches above the floor. Vhen thepassengers sitin comfortable positions, their feet project into the aisle about fifteen inches, more or less, wherefore there remains for the comfortable accommodation of the passengers who are standing or walking considerably less than half the width of the aisle. The result is that the passengers 'who are sitting are especially liable to have their feet trampled upon. To prevent this unpleasant result, a covered 5o shieldB is secured to the floor in front of the seats, which shield is open on that side which faces said seats. rlhe passenger sitting iny the Fig. 2 is a transverse seat puts his feet under the shield, whereby they are in alarge measure protected. lin the best construction the floor of the car C imme-` diately in front of the seats and for about fifteen inches, more or less, outward therefrom may be the customary eighteen inches, more or less, below the tops of the seats. The iioor D beyond this part C is two inches, more or less, higher than the iioor C, and the top b of the foot-shield is, in effect,an extension ofthe iioor D toward the seats, which extension or top of the shield is about live inches, more or less, in width. Itis believed that this top of the shield should not be horizontal, but should be inclined upward toward the seat at such an angle that the edge thereof which is nearest the seats is about two and three-fourths inches above the floor C.

The dimensions heretofore given are the dimensions of what in my judgment is the most practical embodiment of the invention; but I have no intention of limiting the invention to these dimensions. They maybe varied to any extent desired. In the specific embodiment of the invention shown the foot-shield is made of sheet metal consisting of a top b, the integral vertical front side b', and ahorizontal foot on the lower edge of said part b', by which the shield is secured to the floor. The edge of the top which is nearest the seats may be supported at suitable intervals by posts F.

Having described my invention, l claiml. A seat, and an aisle or passageway in front thereof in which a person may stand, combined with a covered footshield located on that side of the aisle or passage-way next the seat, and open toward the seat, and adapted to receive the feet of the person in the seat, which are thus prevented from being stepped on and do not obstruct the aisle or passage-way, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of aseat, a floor in front thereof, a shield overhanging the floor immediately in front of the seat, the upper side of said shield forming a part of the surface adapted to be walked upon in front of the seat, substantially as landfor the purpose specified.

3. A covered foot-shield supported above a iioor close to a seat or seats and open on that side which faces said seat or seats, the top of IOO said shield being an extension, toward the seats, of the oor which is in front of said shield, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4:. The combination with a floor C, a seat resting thereon, a floor D some distance in front of the floor C, which floor D is above the level of the floor C and is extended at a slight angle upward a short distance toward the seats and over the floor C, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. The combination of a floor, seats resting thereon, a sheet-metal foot-shield consisting of a slightly-inclined top, a front end and a foot projecting forward therefrom, whereby the shield is secured to the floor, and posts supporting the edge of the top which is nearest the seats, and a floor outside of the shield and substantially at the same level as the front edge of said shield, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. In a street-oar, the combination with the seats, the ioor directly in front of said seats, and a covered shield which is open on the side which faces said seats, and a ilooll in front of said shield, the top of which is substantially of the same level as lthe top of the front edge of said shield, substantially as and for the purpose specified. f

7. In a street-ear, the combination with the seats running lengthwise of both sides of the ear, the oors directly in front of and adjacent to said seats, and the intermediate floor, with foot-shields which are lateral extensions toward the seats of said intermediate floor and overhang the floors adjacent to the seats, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afx my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

VVIVLLIAM F. PUTNAMA Witnesses:

E. L. THURsToN, PHILIP E. KNoWL'roNA 

